1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a putting practice device and method for practicing putting for golfers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a putting practice device and practice putting method for preventing head movement and watching the putter during the backstroke, for promoting eye contact with the ball and good ball contact with the putter, and for restricting the backstroke to allow acceleration through the putting area.
2. Description of Related Art
Various golf putting practice devices have been developed. These devices are designed to eliminate various bad habits and promote various good habits in the golfer.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,866,645 shows a device that has two guide rails on which the ball sits and a vertical wall that acts as a guide for the end of the putter blade when striking the ball. The two guide rails, however, are designed such that the ball is prevented from jumping the rails, and thus no matter how the ball is struck, it will roll in a straight line. This device, therefore, guarantees a perfect hit each time the golfer swings, removing the element of negative feedback resulting from missed hits. Moreover, the vertical wall is primarily used to guide the putter in the strike zone and hence is not used to guide the putter throughout the entire stroke.
Another putting practice device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,929,631. This device has a lens ("view indicator") located in the putter blade, indicating to the golfer when his eye is in the proper angular position in relation to the golf club head. Conventional putting teaching, however, clearly requires the eyes to be placed over the ball, and not over the putter blade.
Another putting practice device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,874, the device being a U-shaped angle plate channel. A dimple is formed on the floor of the channel on which the ball is placed to prevent it from rolling around. Placed over the dimple is a rectangular planar reflective member, i.e., a two-way mirror, which reflects the golfer's eyes when they are placed over the channel. Due to the dimple, the feel of the put will not be the same as a ball struck on a grass surface, because the depth of the dimple must be sufficient to hold the ball, causing the ball to jump on contact. Moreover, the two-way mirror provides no distortion effects on the ball for indicating to the golfer when his head has moved, and the two-way reflective effect of the mirror distracts from concentration levels because the golfer will see his face and the ball at the same time.
Another putting practice device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,287, which shows a cantilever device positioned over the putting line, golf ball, and putter. Because the cantilever is a clear plastic through which the ball and putter blade can be seen throughout the stroke, the eyes of the golfer will follow the putter throughout the stroke, an unfavorable result.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,646 discloses a trapezoidal vertical planar putter guide, against which the toe of the putter is placed. The putter guide also has a sight ring of various sizes, lengths, and adjustable positions along the guide. The sight ring is placed at a position that is somehow determined to equal the sweet spot in the putting stroke, which determination can be difficult. Because the eyelet portion of the ring does not contain any lens of any kind, and the eyelid diameter is significantly less than the diameter of the ball, the golfer's head can experience significant movement during the putting stroke without the golfer having noticed such movement.
In light of the foregoing, a need exists for a putting practice device and putting practice method that prevents a golfer from moving his head and/or eyes during the putting stroke, that indicates whether the golfer's eyes are directly over the ball, that prevents the golfer from watching the putter blade during the stroke, that helps the golfer in eliminating "pushed" or "shoved" strokes, that prevents the putter from being lifted on the backstroke and follow-through, and that aids the golfer in determining the proper backstroke for shorter puts.